[tt] NYT Editorial: The Legacy of Sputnik

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The Legacy of Sputnik
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/04/opinion/04thur3.html

October 4, 2007

Editorial

The Legacy of Sputnik

Fifty years ago today, the Soviet Union launched a small sphere into
space that could do little more than beep-beep-beep as it circled
the Earth. Sputnik 1 was the first artificial satellite ever placed
in orbit and a stunning propaganda achievement.

Sputnik brought home that the Russians weren't quite the backward
oafs Americans had thought. They had a satellite that could look
down on our homeland and -- far more scary -- a powerful rocket that
could presumably carry a nuclear warhead over our borders.

It is hard to exaggerate the impact the first Sputnik had on an
America enmeshed in the cold war. Sputnik has been likened to Pearl
Harbor and the 9/11 terrorist attacks -- events provoking a national
response to new dangers. But its legacy has been mixed, and its
lessons for today seem limited.

The United States, previously smitten with long-range bombers,
rushed to develop intercontinental missiles and defenses against
them. It created a new civilian space agency and an advanced
research agency for the military. It bolstered science, engineering
and mathematics education at all levels. In 1961, still trailing
Russian space accomplishments, the United States declared an all-out
race to the moon, culminating in a landing in 1969. Without Sputnik,
the moon landing would not have occurred so quickly and might still
be a distant goal.

Sputnik spurred the development of spy satellites that helped calm
unrealistic fears of a missile or bomber gap. And by stimulating a
rapid expansion of space activities, it deserves some credit for
speeding the development of communications, navigation and weather
satellites. Some of its other contributions were not so durable.
After six landings on the moon, the manned space program retreated
into low-Earth orbit for 35 years. The advanced science and math
curricula developed for schools fell out of use. And we are again
bemoaning a paucity of science and engineering graduates.

Now there are wistful calls for another Sputnik-like event to goad a
re-invigoration of American education and technology. Some hope that
China's emerging space program will serve as a catalyst, but it is
hard to believe that much fear or awe will be generated if China
retraces the steps we took decades ago. Future space exploration,
involving extremely costly missions to Mars and the asteroids, will
likely require close cooperation with other nations, not fearful
reaction against their achievements.